Counterbalancing device.



D. S. BEYER.

OOUNTERBALANOING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, 1908.

971,585,. Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

2 SHEBTS- SHBET 1.

Q vi f maooco c vwc wi o-z 7 C i am @51 w /3 m5 NDRRIS FE TEES co.. \VASHINUTGN, 0. c.

O. S. BEYER.

COUNTERBALANCING DEVICE. APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 7, 1908.

' 1,5 5 Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

Z BHEETS-SHEET 2. 7

V Qmveufoc M How 1e S ATNT FFIQ.

OTTO S. IBEYER, OF EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC PLATEN PRESS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O'r'ro S. BEYER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Rutherford, Bergen county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counterbalancing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to counter-balancing devices and is in the present instance shown applied to a printing machine for the purpose of counter-balancing or compensating for the momentum of the form carrying member, but this is to be taken as an illustration only, as my device is applicable to other machines as well.

The object of my invention is to provide a counter-balancing, controlling or compensating device for oscillating, reciprocating or otherwise movable heavy machine elements, particularly when the latter are moving at high speed, in which instance the use of this invention results in improved service, better operation, saving in power and wear of the moving parts.

To this end, my device comprises such elements of parts and features of construction as disclosed in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, although I do not consider myself limited to the precise construction presented.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a printing machine provided with my counter-balancing device. Fig. 2 is a partial View looking in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1 and with parts in section. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View of a bed and cylinder press equipped with my invention, and Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the valve used.

In the said drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes the framework of an automatic platen press having the stationary platen 2 and the form carrying member 3. This latter is rigidly mounted in a pair of swinging arms 4, 1 and is oscillated by means of the toggle links 5, 5 operated from the main shaft 6 through the pinion 7, gear 8 and connecting link 9. I need not go into the details of the construction or operation of a printing machine of this type, as my invention does not refer thereto.

In order to compensate for the energy stored in the oscillating form member, I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 7, 1908.

Patented Get. a, 1910.

Serial No. 409,627.

provide two cylinders 10, 10, having the piston 11, 11 the rods of which are connected by links 12, 12 to the arms 4, 1 as shown. The cylinders are connected by pipes 13 and 141 and between these latter and connected thereto, hence to the cylinders, are the valves 15, 16. Valve 15, is connected by pipe 17 to pipe 13 and by pipe 18 to pipe 1 1, and valve 16 is connected in a similar manner by pipes 19 and 20. The valves are alike and the description of one will suflice for the other. The valve contains two chambers 21 and 22, inside the casing 23, and separated by the valve body 24, having a valve stem 25. A spring 26 tends to keep the valve closed and the pressure is regulated by means of the screw 27. A diaphragm 28 closes the chamber 22 airtight. Each of the valve chambers are separately connected to the pipes 18, 18, 19 and 20 and through them to the cylinders, which latter and the pipes and valves all contain air under atmospheric pressure, or some other suitable fluid may be used. In case this pressure should sink below normal pressure through leaks or otherwise, air is automatically admitted to the system through the one or both of the sprii'ig seated valves 29, 29 which will then open under the pressure of the atmosphere against the tensions of their respective springs.

I will now describe the operation. Let it be supposed that the machine stands as shown in Fig. 2, that is with the impression on. The first movement of the form member 3 is downwardly and as it moves the pistons 11, 11 also move downwardly and the air between them and the valves is compressed until the pressure becomes great enough to compensate the combined forces or momentum of the movable element, or in other words, it may be simply said that the form carrying member is counterbalanced. The downward stroke of the pistonswhich move air tightcreates however a partial vacuum in the upper part of the cylinders and their connections and the compressed air is allowed to escape through the valve 15 restoring atmospheric pressure throughout the cylinders and their connections, which will take place when the form member has finished its downward stroke, it being understood that the valve 15 has been set so as to ofier the necessary resistance to cause the pressure-which is predetermined, the forces or momentum being knownto be obtained, while the valve 16 is kept closed by its spring and the pressure caused. On the upward stroke of the form member the air above the pistons is compressed and escapes through valve 16, which is regulated for the particular pressure to be obtained for compensating for the momentum of the upward stroke, which in some instances is different from that of the downward stroke, and the operation is repeated indefinitely.

From the above, it will be seen, that 1 have provided very simple means for carry- 11 ing out my invention and also that these means may be operated very fast, which is of the greatest importance in machines of this type.

The particular arrangement of the pipes and valves may readily be modified to suit different conditions. One single valve may be used, but the two valve system possesses the advantage of being more easily regulated.

In Fig. 3, I have shown my invention ap plied to a bed and cylinder press in diagrammatic form. In this figure the numeral 30 denotes the impression cylinder, while 31 is the bed carrying the form 32. 33 is the actuating gear for reciprocating the bed. In this instance the piston 34 is carried by the bed and the valves 35, 86 are connected separately to the cylinder 87 and are constructed and act precisely like the valves 15 and 16. On the one stroke of the bed the air is compressed on one side of the piston and escapes through the valve 35 to the other side thereof, and on the return stroke the air is compressed on the other side of the piston and escapes through valve 36 back to the cylinder.

It is thought that the above clearly describes my invention and the operation and use thereof. It will be understood that the operation is noiseless as there is no discharge to the atmosphere.

The use of my invention causes saving in power and less wear and results in greater speed.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of an oscillating machine element, means for compensating for the momentum of said element comprising a cylinder containing air under atmospheric pressure, a piston movable in said cylinder and connected to said oscillating machine element, a valve connected to said cylinder and adapted to open when the air in the said cylinder is compressed on the one side of said piston, a second valve connected to said cylinder and adapted to open when the air in said cylinder is compressed on the opposite side of said piston and means for operat ing said machine element.

2. The combination of an oscillating machine element, of means for controlling the {momentum thereof, comprising a cylinder containing a fluid, a piston in said cylinder connected to the aforesaid machine element, a valve for allowing the compression of said fluid on the one side of said piston when the said machine element is actuated and for allowing the compressed fluid to be dis- 5 charged to the other side of said piston, a 1 second valve for allowing the compression of the fluid when the said machine element 1 moves in the opposite direction and for allowing the thus compressed fluid to be discharged on the side first mentioned of the piston, and means for regulating said valves.

In a printing machine the combination with an oscillating form carrying member, of means for compensating for the stored energy in said member comprising two cylinders containing air under atmospheric pressure, pistons in said cylinders connected to said form carrying member, two valves connected to the said cylinders for allowing the air in the latter to be compressed to a predetermined pressure on the one side of said pistons and for allowing the compressed air to escape to the other sides of said pistons, and means for regulating said valves.

at. In a printing machine the combination with an oscillating or reciprocating form carrying member, of means for compensating for the stored energy in said member comprising cylinders containing air, pistons movable in said cylinders and connected to said member, two valves connected to said cylinders for allowing the air to be compressed therein, when the said pistons move and for allowing the compressed air to be delivered behind said pistons, the said valves being actuated in opposite directions depending upon the direction of movement of the said pistons.

In a printing machine the combination with an oscillating or reciprocating form carrying member, of means for compensating for the stored energy in said member, comprising cylinders containing air, pistons movable in said cylinders and connected to said member, two valves connected to said cylinders for allowing the air to be compressed therein, when the said pistons move and for allowing the compressed air to be delivered behind said pistons, the said valves being actuated in opposite directions depending upon the direction of movement of the said pistons, and means for regulating the said valves.

6. In a printing machine the combination of an oscillating form carrying member, of means for compensating the stored energy in said member comprising cylinders containing air under atmospheric pressure, pistons moving in said cylinders and connected to said movable form carrying member, two valves, each of which is connected to the said cylinders at the opposite sides of each of said pistons for allowing the air to be compressed in said cylinders on either side of said pistons and for discharging the compressed air on the opposite sides of said pistons once to each oscillation of the form carrying member.

7. In a printing machine, a reciprocating form carrying member, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder and connected to said form carrying member, a valve connected to said cylinder for allowing the air therein to be compressed on the one side of said piston and for discharging the air on the other side of said piston and a second valve also connected to said cylinder and acting like the first mentioned valve, but in opposite direction, each of said valves opening in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of said reciprocating form carrying member.

8. In a printing machine the combination of a reciprocating bed carrying a form, of means for compensating for the energy stored in said reciprocating bed and form comprising a cylinder containing air under atmospheric pressure, a piston movable in said cylinder and connected to said reciprocating bed, two valves, each of which is connected separately to the said cylinder at the opposite sides of the piston, one of said valves adapted to allow the compression of the air on the one side of said piston, and the escape of the air to the other side of the piston, when the said form carrying bed moves in one direction, the other valve adapted to act in a similar manner, When the form carrying bed moves in the opposite direction, and means for regulating said valves.

Signed at New York, N. Y. this 6th day of January 1908.

OTTO S. BEYER. Witnesses:

IVAN KONIGsBERG, J. V. KAVINAUGH. 

